Yoke for draft-gears



C. A. CARSCAD IN. YOKE FOR DRAFT GEARS;

P l I 9 A 17. I 1,401,311, Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. .CABSCADIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'I'O AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDBIEB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

you son DRAFT-GEARS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

Application filed September 13, 1917. Serial No. 191,271.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. Cansoaom, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Yokes for Draft-Gears, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to railway draft gears and has for its object the provision of a yoke having means for securing the butt of a draw bar thereto, without the use of ordinary keys or rivets, and permittinginsertion and withdrawal of the draw bar butt with the utmost facility while insuring retention of the draw bar butt under operating conditions.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a yoke and fastening means for the draw bar butt embodying the features of strength and durabilit with simplicity of form and parts, where y a satisfactory device may be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

Further ob'ects and advantages of my in vention will e apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a yoke with the locking member removed;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through a portion of the yoke with the locking member in osition to hold the draw bar butt, and

ig. 3 is a view in perspective of the lockingImember;

eferring to the drawing 5 and 6 indicate respectively the top and bottom members of the yoke. At their rear ends the top and bottom members are connected in the usual manner as indicated at 7 and at their forward ends, the integral side plates 8 connect the top and bottom members to form a hooded end which embraces the butt 9 on the draw bar 10 when the latter is assembled with the yoke.

The top member 5 is provided with a lug 11 which cotiperates with a shoulder 12 on the butt 9 of the draw bar as indicated in Fig. 2. A locking member 13 is provided with a corresponding lug 14 ada ted to co operate with the corresponding oulder 15 on the butt 9. The locking member 13 is separate from the yoke and is provided with a lug 16 adapted to enter a recess in the bottom member 6 adjacent its forward end and to cooperate with a shoulder 17 thereon which prevents forward movement of the locking member relatively to the yoke when pulling forces are exerted on the draw bar 10.

The insertion and removal of the butt 9 of the draw bar is readily accomplished in the following manner. Assuming that the lockin member 13 is separated from the yoke, t e butt 9 is inserted through the opening at the front of the yoke and is moved rearwardly therein until it rests on the bottom member 6. The locking member 13 may then be inserted in the position indicated in Fig. 2 after which the butt 9 of the draw bar is moved forwardly to its operative position in engagement and with the lugs 11 and 14. In this position it is held by the usual springs (not shown) and as will be readily understood the locking member 13 is held in its operative position by the enagement of the butt 9 of the draw bar t erewith. When it is desired to remove the butt 9 of the'draw bar it is moved rearwardly as before, after which the locking member 13 may be removed and the butt 9 wiitihdrawn through the front opening in the yo e.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a yoke in which the butt of the draw bar is securely held Without the use of ordinary keys or rivets now commonly used, and which bein subject-to shearing forces frequently brear and cause accidental separation of the draw bar yoke. With my invention such accidental separation is practically impossible for the reason that the locking member 13 may be made sufficiently strong to withstand any stresses to which it may be subjected in use. The yoke is moreover so constructed that no weaknesses are developed which might cause it to fail in use. The construction is extremely simple which permits manufacture of the device at a relatively low cost.

Various changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its matcrlal advantages the form hereinbefore described being merely the preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. Ayoke for draft gears having an integral hooded forward end, an integral lug on the upper member and an integral shoulder on'the bottom member of the hood, and a one-piece locking member insertible bodily through the front of the yoke and having 7 a lug on its under side to engage the shoulder on the bottom member and a lug on its upper side to cooperate with the lug on the upper member to retain a coupler butt in the yoke.

2. A draft yoke having integral side plates connecting the top and bottom members of the yoke at the forward end thereof, the upper member of the yoke being provided with a front depending lug, the space between the said lug and the top of the bot tom member of the yoke being sufiicient to permit the'introduction of the butt end of a coupler shank, said top face of the lower member of the yoke being provided with a depression defining a shoulder, and a one piece locking member insertible bodily through the front of the yoke and having an integral lug on its under side to enter the recess and engage the shoulder on the bottom member of the yoke, said locking mem her having an upstanding lug which is in alinement with the depending lug on the upper member of the yoke, said. upper and lower lugs constituting abutments for engagement with the front of the butt end of a coupler shank to retain said shank within the yoke.

8. A yoke for draft gears having an integral hooded forward end, an integral lug on the upper member and an integral shoulder on the lower member of the hood, and a onepiece locking member insertible bodily through the front of the yoke and having a forwardly facing shoulder to engage the shoulder on the bottom member and a rearwardly facing shoulder to cooperate with the lug on the upper member to retain a coupler butt in the yoke.

CHARLES A. CARSCADIN.

Witnesses ERNEST H. MERCHANT, lV. T. VVEs'rERBERG. 

